I glance up at her, my hands trembling as I pick up the card. “Sabrina, I—”
“Don’t.” Her voice is cold, cutting through whatever apology or explanation I was about to give. “Just… don’t.”
The air between us is charged with unspoken tension. Sabrina’s kindness, her warmth—all of it feels distant now, replaced by a chill I don’t recognize. For the first time, I wonder if I ever truly knew her at all.
She turns on her heel and leaves without another word, the door slamming shut behind her. I stand there in silence, clutching the invitation, the weight of her words and Kael’s name pressing against my chest.
Tonight, I’ll have to face them both. And I’m not sure I’ll survive it.
LATER THAT NIGHT
My hands tremble as I step into the Pack Hall, every nerve in my body taut. The grand room is alive with tension, every corner buzzing with murmured conversations. Wolves dressed in their finest gather in clusters, the air laced with the scent of power and expectation. I linger near the back, trying to shrink into the shadows as I take it all in.
My eyes find Ronan almost immediately, standing tall among the Shadow Guard. His posture is proud, his uniform crisp, his expression unreadable. My chest swells with pride despite myself. I know how hard he trained to earn that spot, the hours of grueling work, the sacrifices he made to climb out of the same darkness I’m still stuck in. But the pride doesn’t last long. It fades as I glance down at my own dress—a simple, faded piece that once belonged to my mother. The fabric is worn but clean, the best I could manage. It feels like a reminder of my place here, a silent declaration that I don’t belong among these wolves.